065-C Easy Ruffle Center Flower

• Great easy pattern that works well in 4 colors

You’re creating a long initial chain, then working stitches along that chain and adding row of chain loops. You then gather up the chain (with yarn and needle) to make circular. Make 5-petal center separately and sew into flower to secure.

NOTE: Flower can easily be made larger/smaller by adjusting number of starting chains (make number of starting chains divisible by 3).

Color changes are indicated in pattern below.

START

Ch 3; do NOT join into ring.

ROW 1 (CENTER)

In 1st ch (serves as ring), work 16 dc into stitch. Join. Pull string to tighten.

ROW 2 (RUFFLES)

Ch 1, sc in same st. *Ch 3, sc in next st** Repeat 16 times. Omit last sc, join to 1st sc with a slip stitch. Change color.

ROW 4

Join second color with sl st in any back stitch.

In the ch-3 space from prior row, with hook in back work a dc over the post of the sc in between the chains (a back post double crochet). This will make a visible stitch on the front. Then chain 1.

Continue making bpdc and ch 1, making 16 ch 1 spaces. Join.

Make sure you have 16 spaces (it’s easy to make an extra one by mistake).

ROW 5

In stitches you made in round 4, ch 1 and sc in same stitch. Then make 1 sc in ch1 space, sc in next st. Continue making 1 sc in ch and 1 sc. This will make a row of stitches that sit behind and slightly larger than the ruffly petals.

ROW 6

Change color. You’ll see gaps that were created in prior round. Join and make 1 sc in the gap (allow a looser stitch to go around), and ch 2. Continue making the 1 sc + ch 2 stitches, making them rather loose. They should form a ring around without being too tight or loose, and the loose sc will make a decorative stitch. Join.

ROW 7

Slip into ch2 space, In ch2 space, ch 2 (counts as 1 hdc), 1 dc, 1 hdc. Work 1 sc into the decorative stitch in row below (to make connecting decorative stitch), making loose enough to go around. Continue around with (1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 hdc) in ch-2 space and 1 sc in decorative stitch. Join.

ROW 8

Change color. This round is crocheted in BACK LOOPS.

In one of the 1 hdc/1dc/1hdc clusters, insert hook in back loop of 1st hdc. Work 1 sc in back loop. In next dc, work (1sc, ch 3, 1 sc). Skip next hdc. Now work 1 front post double crochet (fpdc) around sc from prior round. This will make connecting decorative stitch and make pointy petals that lay flat nicely around. Join.

Fasten off.